Picker return means



'March 26,1940. w. R. HEWTON PICKER RETURN MEANS Filed March 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTdR \NILUAM R. HE BY f ATTORNEY March 26, 1940. w. R. HEWTON PICKER RETURN MEANS F il'ed March 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGJII FIGJSZ FIGI Flam

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Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNiTE-D STATES PICKER RETURN MEANS William R. Hewton, Philadelphia, Pa, assig'nor to Collins & Aikman Corporation, Philadelphia,

Pa, a corporation of Application March 25,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a picker return mechanism for looms having a flexible connection between the picker stick and the picker. Looms using a common form of such picking mechanism are referred to as overpick looms.

My improvements are especially desirable for over-pick looms equipped with a replenishing mechanism, and more particularly for double shuttle bobbin replenishing looms wherein a pair of shuttles are simultaneously thrown through superposed sheds in opposite directions. Replenishment of these looms requires accurate alignment of the boxed shuttle and the replenishing mechanism. In high speed looms of this type a lost motion, occasioned by the flexible connection between the picker stick and the picker, occurs between the picker and the picker stick on the initial portion of the movement of the picking stick on the propulsion stroke. Another lag of the movement of the picker occurs at the beginning of the return stroke of the picking stick, and in looms of the class above described this lag results in the picker being driven back to picking position by the impact of the incoming shuttle. The resistance to return to picking position by the picker varies during normal weaving and results in variations in the ultimate position of the checked shuttle. These variations while being insufiicient to effect loom protector mechanism operation are too great to insure proper bobbin transfer.

I have overcome all difficulties resulting from I a return of a picker by shuttle impact on this and other types of looms and I have provided a mechanism simple in structure and in operation which does not in any way interfere with the propulsion stroke of the picker stick and the picker. The picking whip actionof the flexible strap is desirable in overpick looms and I retain all the advantages thereof.

According to my improvements I provide an auxiliary arm preferably shorter than the picking stick and mounted on the picker shaft. This auxiliary arm is conveniently below the picker stick and projects from the picker shaft at an angle to the picker stick. The auxiliary arm is so mounted and proportioned that as the picker stick moves inwardly on the picking stroke the auxiliary arm moves inwardly of the picker, and hence is in position to strike the flexible belt' on the return stroke of the picker stick and to drive the picker behind a light acting retaining means.

Most present day looms have shuttle boxes which move with the lay. This form of loom is not essential to the use of my invention, but the Delaware 1939, Serial No. 264,095

forward position of the lay at the beginning of the picking stroke facilitates the clearing of the strap by the auxiliary arm and permits a wide range in the selection of the length and the design of the auxiliary arm as well as the angle which it makes with thepicking stick. My device is operable on looms equipped with stationary. shuttle boxes.

An object of this invention is to provide means for returning a picker which has a flexible connection with a picking stick to picking position independently of shuttle impact.

Another object is to provide a picker return means which has no influence on the propulsion 1B stroke.

Another object is to provide an auxiliary arm on the picking shaft of an overpick loom to engage the picking strap on the return motion of the picking stick.

These and other objects of invention will be manifest from a considerationof the following description and attached drawings, in which,

Figure I is a side elevational view of my improvement in its environment of related parts in a double shuttle bobbin replenishing overpick loom.

Figure II is a front elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure I.

Figures III, IV and V illustrate relative positions of parts at different points on the propulsion stroke of the picking stick.

Figures VI, VII and VIII illustrate the relative positions of parts at different points on the return stroke of the picking stick.

Referring tothe drawings, in Figure I is de- 35 picteda loom frame Ill to which is conveniently secured a magazine H for the full bobbins it. The magazine H has positioned therein a bobbin aligned with the transferrer head i3 for insertion into a shuttle in one or the other of two 40 superposed shuttle compartments after the call for replenishment. The transferrer head l3 forces the bobbin l2 out of the magazine against the pressure of a yieldable retaining member 14 as the lay it reaches front center, all in a known 45 manner.

Shuttle box It, movable with the lay l5, has two compartments I! and i8 which alternately receive oppositely and simultaneously picked shuttles l9 and 20. A spindle guided picker 2f 50 moves on the spindle 22 on the propulsion and return stroke. A light flexible picker retaining member 23, having a flared back free end, holds the picker and serves as a starting point for the picker on each pick. The lay I5 is mounted on the lay sword 24 which pivots about 25 in the well understood manner.

Picker stick shaft 26 is vertically journalled on a fixed portion of the loom frame 10. Adjustable collar 2'! prevents vertical movement of the shaft 26. The picker stick 28 is clamped to the picker shaft by clamp 29 and secured as by nut 30 in a known manner. A flexible connection such as strap ill is secured to the end of the picker stick and to the picker.

The auxiliary arm 32 is clamped at 33 to a plate 34 projecting from a fixed portion to the picker shaft 26. The auxiliary arm 32 lags the picker stick by approximately 20. The auxiliary arm 32 moves with the picker stick which may be positively actuated on the propulsion stroke and spring returned. The normal position of the free end of the picker stick when the loom crank is at top dead center is on the outside end of the shuttle box.

Figures III, IV and V show the operation on the picking stroke and Figures VI, VII and VIII on the return stroke. As the picker stick moves inwardly to take up the slack in the flexible connection 3!, the auxiliary arm 32 moves forwardly and inwardly of the strap 3! and remains in that position until the end of the propulsion stroke. As Will be seen from the drawing, the auxiliary arm moves inwardly of the picker before the 12y reaches back center. It is evident that a wi e range in the relation and proportion of parts is permitted on looms equipped with shuttle boxes which oscillate with the lay. In Figures III, IV and V for example, the oscillating lay is moving rearwardly and continues to do so until after the beginning of the return movement of the picking stick.

On the return movement the auxiliary arm 32 engages the strap 3!, and in moving back with the picker stick forces the picker behind the flared end of the retaining element 23. The auxiliary arm may be so proportioned as to operate directly on the picker, if desired.

Itis preferred that the auxiliary arm does not engage the strap 3| until immediately after the completion of the propulsion stroke, but this engagement may take place slightly before this time without substantial impairment of efficiency. Engagement prior to completion of the stroke should not be sufficient to interfere with picking and will insure an immediate initiation of return of the picker simultaneously with the initiation of the return movement of the picking stick.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a fly shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picking member and a picker and flexible connection assembly joined to the picking member by the flexible connection, said picking mechanism having a propulsion and return movement, means out of contact with said assembly at the beginning of the propulsion movement and means for moving said first named means into contact with the picker and flexible connection assembly after the initiation of the propulsion movement to return the picker to normal rest position.

2. In a loom as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that the loom is a bobbin replenishing loom having a bobbin aligned with a properly boxed shuttle.

3. In a fly shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picking member and a picker and flexible connection assembly joined to the picking member by the flexible connection, said picking mechanism having a propulsion and return movement, a retaining means from which the picker is picked, means out of contact with said assembly at the beginning of the propulsion movement and means for moving said first named means into contact with the picker and flexible connection assembly after the initiation of the propulsion movement to return the picker to the retaining means.

4. In a fly shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picking member and a picker and flexible connection assembly joined to the picking member by the flexible connection, said picking mechanism having a propulsion and return movement, means movable in synchronism with the picking member and out of contact with said assembly at the beginning of the propulsion movement and means for moving said first named means into contact with the picker and flexible connection assembly near the completion of the propulsion movement to return the picker to normal rest position.

5. In a fly shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picking shaft, a picking stick fixed on the picking shaft and a picker and flexible connection assembly joined to the picking stick by the flexible connection, said picking mechanism having a propulsion and return movement, an auxiliary arm fixed on the picking shaft to engage the picker and flexible assembly after the initiation of the propulsion movement to return the picker to normal rest position.

6. In apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further characterized in that the auxiliary arm is fixed to the picking shaft at an angle to the picking stick and that its free end is outwardly of the free end of the picking stick.

7. In a loom picking mechanism having a propulsion and return stroke, a picker stick, a flexible connection between the picker stick and the picker and means movable with the picker stick which is ineffective on the propulsion stroke and which initiates the return of the picker after the propulsion stroke.

8. In a fly shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picker, a picker stick and a flexible connection between the picker stick and the picker, said picking mechanism having a propulsion and return movement, means for engaging the flexible connection near the completion of the propulsion movement to return the picker to normal rest position.

9. In a fiy shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picker stick, a picker and a flexible connection between the picker stick and the picker, said picking mechanism having a propulsion and return movement, a retaining means from whence the picker is picked, means for engaging the flexible connection near the completion of the propulsion movement to return the picker to the retaining means.

10. In a fly shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picking member, a picker and a flexible connection between the picking member and the picker, said picking mechanism having a propulsion and return movement, means movable in synchronism with the picking member to engage the flexible connection near the completion of the propulsion movement to return the picker to normal rest position.

11. In a fly shuttle loom, a shuttle, a picking mechanism consisting of a picking shaft, a picking stick fixed to the picking shaft, a picker and a flexible connection between the picker and the picking stick, said picking mechanism having a 12. In apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further characterized in that the auxiliary arm is fixed to the picking shaft at an angle to the pickingstick and that its free end is outwardly of the free end of the picking stick.

WILLIAM R. HEWTON. 

